The present invention relates to high-temperature superconductor leads, and more particularly to high-temperature superconductor leads for carrying current to a superconductor magnet.
Resistance heating produced by traditional copper leads when passing high currents creates a significant amount of heat leak into cryocooled superconductor magnet systems. Additional refrigeration is required to overcome the heat leaking into the system to maintain the superconductor at a desired cryogenic temperature.
Bulk superconductor leads in the form of pure castings of superconducting ceramic, generally in the form of rods or tubes with metallic end caps, have been used to supply power from non-superconductor leads to superconducting magnets. These bulk leads are difficult to handle because the pure ceramic is brittle at cryogenic temperatures. There is also significant resistive heat associated with the contact between the bulk material and the metallic end caps resulting in heat leak into the cryocooled superconductor magnet system.